Kids + Cleaning – Can It Be Done?

Getting kids to help clean can be a struggle, and that’s partly because no matter how you slice it, house cleaning is a real drag. When there are so many more interesting things to do, how can house cleaning compete? Here are some tips to make chores easier and help deeper cleans go more smoothly:

Take Breaks. Everyone needs breaks when they’re working. Try the 20/10 system: set a timer for 20 minutes, and make sure everyone works on their task without stopping. Once the timer goes off, set it again for 10 minutes, and everyone gets to take a short break. You’ll be amazed at how much you can accomplish in just 20 minutes! For littler kids, of course, you’ll want to adjust the times appropriately.

Age-Appropriate Tasks.Toddlers can follow you around and help pick things up, while you give older kids the tasks that require a little more elbow grease, like vacuuming or cleaning the windows. Kids in the middle can help fold laundry, check expiration dates in the fridge, sort recycling, and any other tasks you have.

Make it Fun. Think like Mary Poppins– “You find the fun, and snap! The job’s a game!” Put on some fun music, dance around and tell jokes or stories while you work or have competitions to see who can match socks the fastest or make windows the shiniest.

Reward Yourselves. You’ve been working hard, so do something fun! Consider small rewards like stickers for smaller tasks, and larger rewards like a trip to the movies for finishing entire rooms.

While you’re cleaning, don’t forget to declutter! The more junk you get rid of, the less you’ll have to clean in the future. Contact Mr. Junk for efficient, considerate, affordable junk removal in the metro Atlanta area. We’ll take care of your mess!